Kindergarten Kids

Ava and Macy have finished their first week of kindergarten! It is going really well so far. They are in separate classes which has been harder for me than it has been for them. They are so dependent on each other so I worry about them being apart, but I know it is definitely for the best. The Thursday before school started we went to meet their teachers, see their classrooms, and have kindergarten orientation. Both of their teachers are great. So sweet and nurturing. Ava has two friends in her class. Clara (our next door neighbor who the girls play with all the time) and Savannah (one of their best friends from pre-k). Macy has one little girl that she kind-of knows named Carla.  I felt bad for Macy that she didn't have any close friends when Ava has two of her besties, but I would much rather it be Macy that has to make new friends than Ava. Macy tends to be more outgoing socially and could care less how many friends she has or who likes her and who doesn't. Ava is way too aware of that kind of thing which makes me dread middle school since she is already so sensitive to it at 5 years old!! Anyway, here they are at meet the teacher night:

 

 

Our bedtimes stories the night before kindergarten: 

The book on the far left was mine when I was little. My Aunt Sandy gave it to me before I started kindergarten.

 

Ready to go:

 

 

 

 

I started this tradition last year. On the night before the first day of school, I ask them what they want to be when they grow up and put it on their "first day" signs. Macy said "karate girl" of course.

Ava said, "one of those people that give you the drinks on an airplane." Funny thing is that I wanted to do that too when I was a kid! We have never even talked about flight attendants, so I was surprised when Ava gave that answer!

 

Ava and her teacher, Mrs. Khan.

Macy was so excited that her teacher gave her play-do to play with.

Macy and her teacher, Mrs. Benton.

Ava hugging daddy goodbye.

and hugging Aubrey goodbye.

Look at her sad face. : (

 

 I knew that Ava would probably have a hard time saying goodbye. She always does at the beginning of school after being with me all summer. So we made a plan that Ben would take Macy to class and I would take Ava then we would switch and say goodbye to the other one. I thought Ava would separate easier from Ben so I wanted him to be the last one to say goodbye to her. Macy did great. She was excited to have some play-do. She said goodbye to Ben, said goodbye to me, and was good to go. My plan failed though because after I said bye to Macy I ended up back in Ava's class. So we were BOTH there to say goodbye at the same time which made it even worse! She teared up and said she wanted us to stay. Of course I teared up too which didn't help. It was so sad and I was already so emotional anyway! We talked her into coloring the picture on her desk so that distracted her a little while we left. We peeked in after we walked out and she was fine. She told us later that day that she didn't cry anymore after we left and she has been fine every day since. I cried all the way out of the building but I have been fine every day since. : )

 

After getting over their first day jitters, they have really enjoyed it. They love their teachers and are already talking about new friends. My neighbor, who has 3 girls at the school,  takes them to school every day so I can get to work on time. The girls told me that Ava walks Macy to her class every morning before going to her own class. So sweet. Hoping some of this time apart will make them miss each other and help them get along better at home!